In an article1 about the recent Smithsonian screening of "The Privileged Planet," based on a book I co-authored, Randall Kremer, the museum's director of public affairs commented, "The scientific content for the most part is accurate. The problem we have is that the science is used to draw a philosophical conclusion."

Perhaps a more accurate statement would have been, "The problem we have is that the science is used to draw a politically incorrect conclusion." The museum clearly does not have a problem with all philosophical statements in science films, because the museum sponsored Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" documentary in which he tells viewers, "The Cosmos is all that is, or ever was, or ever will be." That's not only a philosophical assertion, it's one science could never confirm.